1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention is generally related to a foot pedal apparatus for use in controlling an operating parameter, such as rate of acceleration of a vehicle and, more particularly, to an adjustable foot pedal apparatus that is easily moved to change its natural resting position without the need for tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of adjustable pedals are known to those skilled in the art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,024, which issued to Cicotte et al on Jan. 7, 1992, describes a control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle. The apparatus is intended for use in adjusting a control pedal of a motor vehicle such as a brake pedal, an accelerator pedal, or a clutch pedal. The mechanism includes a pedal arm, an adjustor member, and a bracket secured to the fire wall of the vehicle. The mechanism allows the position of the pedal pad to be adjusted slidably on the adjustor member without disturbing the position of the particular control element actuated by the pedal assembly, and selectively moves the pivot axis of the pedal assembly to maintain a fixed mechanical advantage of the pedal assembly irrespective of the position of adjustment of the pedal arm on the adjustor member. Coacting slots allow the pivot axis to be selectively moved during adjustment of the assembly but coact in response to depression of the pedal to fix the position of the pivot axis in any adjusted position of the pedal arm so that the pedal assembly pivots positively about the instantaneous assembly axis in any adjusted position of the pedal arm. The adjustment of the pedal arm is accomplished by the rotation of a screw engaging a nut on the pedal arm with the screw being driven by an electric motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,565, which issued to Engelgau on May 29, 2001, describes an adjustable pedal assembly with electronic throttle control. The vehicle control pedal apparatus includes a support adapted to be mounted to an vehicle structure and an adjustable pedal assembly having a pedal arm that is moveable in fore and aft directions with respect to the support. A pivot pivotally supports the adjustable pedal assembly with respect to the support and defines a pivot axis. The control pedal apparatus further includes an electronic throttle control attached to the support for controlling an engine throttle. The apparatus is characterized by the electronic throttle control being responsive to the pivot for providing a signal that corresponds to pedal arm position as the pedal arm pivots about the pivot axis between rest and applied positions. Thus, the control pedal apparatus can adjust pedal arm position in fore and aft positions without having to as move the electronic throttle control unit along with the pedal arm. Additionally, the electronic throttle control is responsive to the pivot about which the adjustable pedal assembly rotates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,385, which issued to Sitrin on Oct. 24, 1989, describes a control pedal apparatus for a motor vehicle. The apparatus for adjusting a control pedal of a motor vehicle such as a brake pedal or an accelerator pedal is described. The mechanism includes a pedal arm, an adjustor member, and a bracket secured to the fire wall of the vehicle. The mechanism allows the position of the pedal pad to be adjusted slidably on the adjustor member without disturbing the position of the particular control element actuated by the pedal assembly, and selectively moves the pivot axis of the pedal assembly to maintain a fixed mechanical advantage of the pedal assembly irrespective of the position of adjustment of the pedal arm on the adjustor member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,061, which issued to Redding et al on Oct. 24, 1995, describes an adjustable control pedal apparatus. The apparatus for a motor vehicle includes an accelerator control panel assembly and a brake control pedal assembly. A motor is positioned between the control pedal assemblies and includes a motor drive shaft driving first and second cables secured to the opposite ends of the drive shaft. The cables extend respectively to the brake and accelerator pedal assemblies so as to provide rotary cable movement at each pedal assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,443, which issued to Deane on Dec. 15, 1987, describes a mechanical over-ride linkage. The override mechanism is disclosed for connection between the accelerator pedal of a vehicle and the fuel supply for normally enabling the driver to adjust the fuel supply but which can be overridden by speed limiting means. The throttle pedal is connected to move a lever to increase the fuel supply. This lever is pivoted to a clamp member via a shaft. The clamp member is clamped to a shaft whose angular movement adjusts the fuel supply. A spring resists pivoting movement of the lever with respect to the clamp member and therefore movement of the pedal is normally transmitted directly to the clamp to adjust the fuel supply. However, when the speed reaches an upper limit, an actuator pulls on a cable which is clamped to a part rigid with the clamp. Therefore, the part moves relative to the cable carrier and the lever against the force of the spring. The clamp therefore closes the fuel supply.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,260, which issued to Rixon et al on Dec. 16, 1997, describes an electronic adjustable pedal assembly. The assembly for a motor vehicle includes a carrier, a guide rod adapted to be secured to the dash panel of the vehicle and mounting the carrier for fore and aft movement along the guide rod, a power drive operative to move the carrier along the guide rod, a pedal arm pivotally mounted on the carrier, a potentiometer mounted on the carrier and operative to generate an output electrical signal proportioned to the extend of pivotal movement of the pedal arm, and a resistance assembly to provide feedback to the operator. The resistance assembly includes an annular friction surface defined on the carrier, a sleeve positioned over the friction surface, and a coil spring encircling the sleeve and arranged to be tightened in response to pivot movement of the pedal arm to squeeze the sleeve against the friction surface and generate a friction resistance force. The friction resistance force adds to the torsional resistance force of the spring during application of the pedal and subtracts from the torsional resistance force of the spring upon release of the pedal, whereby to create a hysteresis effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,355, which issued to Fay on Jan. 9, 2001, describes an ergonomic range accommodating adjustable foot pedal. The invention provides an easily adjustable foot-operated pedal assembly, such as a brake pedal for use in heavy equipment, that can be placed in multiple positions to accommodate people of differing heights and body shapes. The pedal is mounted in an assembly including a dual linkage operating apparatus having one element of that linkage that freely rotates about a shaft. A second link of the pedal linkage is connected to a fixed link through an adjustment mechanism. The fixed link is fixedly mounted to the same shaft as the pedal link. The adjustment mechanism incorporates a latch that has multiple settings yielding three or more pedal positions. The pedal is urged upwardly to effect adjustment to raise the pedal. A latch bar of the pedal assembly is urged up to allow lowering of the pedal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,183, which issued to Rixon et al on May 27, 1997, describes an adjustable pedal assembly. The pedal apparatus is intended for use with a motor vehicle. The pedal assembly is slidably mounted at its upper end on a single hollow guide rod extending rearwardly from a transmission housing which in turn is pivotally mounted to a bracket secured to the fire wall of the vehicle. A nut is positioned slidably within the hollow guide rod and a screw shaft extends rearwardly from the transmission housing for threaded engagement with the nut. A key extends from the nut to the pedal assembly so that linear movement of the nut within the hollow rod is generated by rotation of the screw shaft results in forward and rearward movement of the pedal assembly along the guide rod. The screw shaft is driven by a transmission positioned in the transmission housing and the transmission is in turn driven by a cable driven by an electric motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,847, which issued to Willemsen et al on Jan. 30, 2001, describes an adjustable vehicle control pedal. The pedal apparatus is used in a motor vehicle. The brake and/or clutch pedal apparatus includes a driven pedal arm rotatably and operatively mounted to the vehicle mounted to the vehicle about a rotation axis substantially parallel to the pitch axis. An inner pedal arm is adjustably mounted to the driven pedal arm and a pedal is attached to the inner pedal arm. The brake and/or clutch pedal apparatus further comprises a mechanism disposed within the driven pedal arm for varying the proximity of the pedal to the operator. The accelerator pedal apparatus of the invention comprises an inner pedal arm rotatably and operatively mounted to the vehicle about a rotation axis substantially parallel to the pitch axis. A driven pedal arm is adjustably mounted to the inner pedal arm, and a pedal is attached to the driven pedal arm. The accelerator pedal apparatus also comprises a mechanism, substantially disposed within the inner pedal arm and the outer pedal arm, for varying the proximity of the pedal to the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,946, which issued to Ewing on Jun. 22, 1999, describes an adjustable accelerator pedal apparatus. The apparatus allows the adjustment of a first end of a pedal lever to accommodate operators having varying anatomical characteristics. The apparatus includes an adjuster link having a first end pivotally connected to a second point on a rocker, a first end pivotally connected to a first ground point. An anchor link is pivotally connected to a second ground point at one end and a third point of the rocker at the opposite end. A cable interconnects the pedal lever to the throttle linkage, thereby allowing actuation of the throttle upon displacement of the pedal. The interconnection of the adjuster link and a second point on the rocker form a virtual ground point allowing the first end of the pedal lever to be adjusted between first and second pedal positions.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the preferred embodiment.
It would be significantly beneficial if a foot pedal adjustment apparatus could be provided which does not require the operator to use tools in order to change the resting position of the foot pedal. This would allow the pedal position to be more easily adjusted to improve the comfort of the operator when operating the vehicle.
A foot pedal apparatus made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a stationary support structure which is attachable to a vehicle such as a land vehicle or marine vessel. The shaft is supported by the stationary support structure for rotation about an axis. A bracket is connected to the shaft and the bracket is axially moveable relative to the shaft in a direction parallel to the shaft. An actuator is attachable to the bracket for rotation with the bracket. The actuator can also be attached to the shaft for rotation with the shaft in certain embodiments of the present invention.
An angular position sensor has a first portion attached to the actuator and a second portion attached to the stationary support structure. The angular position sensor can be a potentiometer device with the first portion being the winding portion of the potentiometer and the second portion being the wiper. It should be understood that the angular position sensor can also be a Hall effect device or any other type of sensor which provides a signal that is representative of the angular position of the bracket with respect to the stationary support structure. A rotational connector is provided which is connectable between the bracket and the actuator. The rotational connector is moveable to selectively connect or disconnect the bracket and the actuator together. When connected together, the bracket and the actuator move in a coordinated manner about the axis. When disconnected, the bracket and the actuator are allowed to rotate relative to each other.
A plate can be attached to the bracket, wherein the plate is shaped to be rotationally moveable in response to foot movements of an operator of the vehicle. Axial movement of the bracket in a direction parallel to the axis and relative to the actuator disconnects the bracket from the actuator to allow relative rotation to occur between the bracket and the actuator about the axis. The rotational connector, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises first and second gear portions. The first gear portion is attached to the actuator and the second gear portion is attached to the bracket. The second gear portion is moveable out of meshing relation with the first gear portion when the bracket is moved axially away from the actuator in a direction parallel to the axis. The first gear portion can be a toothed cavity and the second gear portion can be a toothed protrusion. The toothed cavity is shaped to receive the toothed protrusion in meshing relation.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention further comprises an axially resilient member, such as a spring, associated with the bracket to resist movement of the bracket away from the actuator in a direction parallel to the shaft. The axially resilient member constantly urges the bracket toward a position where it is rotationally attached to the actuator.
A rotationally resilient member is associated with the shaft for urging the shaft to a preselected rotational position. This preselected rotational position is typically a position assumed by the bracket when the pedal apparatus is at rest. The rotationally resilient member can be a coil spring. The bracket is rotationally attached in spline association with the shaft in a preferred embodiment of the present invention in order to maintain rotational synchrony between the bracket and the shaft while allowing relative axial movement of these two components.